"This feels awesome," said Alison Lucas, from West Jordan, Utah, who
took part in the rally amid soaring temperatures. "I don't know if I
would have had the courage except in a group."
The Utah-based
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known for its culture of
obedience, and the mass ceremony was a seldom-seen act of collective
revolt.
After gathering in the park, participants hiked a
half-mile up nearby Ensign Peak, scaled in 1847 by church President
Brigham Young to survey the spot where his Latter-day Saints would build
a city.
At the top, those gathered gave three loud shouts of "Freedom," cheered, clapped and hugged.
"It's been a hard journey and this is a symbolic end," said event
organizer Zilpha Larsen, of Lehi, Utah. "I just hope that it boosts
people up and helps them feel more comfortable in their decision."
The church bills itself as the one "true" Christian faith, and its
theology promises families eternal relationships among those who remain
faithful, sealing those gifts through special religious rites.
Among the reasons cited by those resigning are the church's political
activism against gay marriage and doctrinal teachings that conflict with
scientific findings or are perceived as racist or sexist.
Others
cite inconsistencies in the Mormons' explanation of its own history,
including the practice of polygamy. The church renounced plural marriage
over a century ago as Utah was seeking statehood.
Asked about the resignations, a church spokesman said the church loves and respects each member.
"People make their own decisions about the direction they will follow
in life," spokesman Michael Purdy said in an email. "While there are
very few who take this action, it is sad to see someone choose to leave.
We wish them well."
The most recent figures show the Mormon
church claims 14.4 million members worldwide. The number of those
resigning from the church are not publicly reported.
Among
prominent Mormons is Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican
presidential nominee facing off against President Barack Obama in
November. Should he win office, Romney would be the first Mormon elected
to the White House.

'WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL'
Some leaving the church Saturday did so with trepidation, as Mormon
culture often stigmatizes those who fall away, leaving some without
social or business connections.
"It's hard, so we have to be very
careful," said Robin Hansen, a participant who said she quit over a
"culture of abuse" which she believes is cultivated by church teachings
promoting obedience.
Hansen said her husband had not joined her
in leaving the faith because he works in a church-related business and
could lose his job if he doesn't maintain his membership.
To
resign from the church, Mormons must submit a formal letter asking their
names be removed from church rolls, a church instructional handbook for
lay leaders published on the Internet in 2010 shows.
On
Saturday, participants filled a basket with their letters for mailing by
Larsen, who split with the church over doubts about the veracity of a
translation of ancient Egyptian writings which are included in sacred
Mormon texts.
A sixth-generation Mormon, Kris Fielding, 35,
traveled from Phoenix for the resignation event in part to represent
those who do not yet have the courage to do so, he said, including his
wife, who worries about reaction from their families.
Married in a
Mormon temple, Fielding said the couples shared disaffection from their
faith is tied in part to their local church leader's response to
questions Fielding had about polyandry and polygamy - taking multiple
husbands and wives - in the early church.
"I went to him looking
for a faithful perspective. He called my wife and told her she needed to
find a new husband," Fielding said.
He said he felt relief after his decision.
"The monkey's off the back ... I don't feel like I have to explain myself or the positions of the church anymore."
(Editing by Tim Gaynor and Doina Chiacu)

"The term "Ostern" (Easter) originates from an ancient Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn, who is named "Eastre", "Eostre", or "Ostara". Eostre, apparently is a European version of Astarte/Isis and some even associate her with the Hindu goddess Kali. Eostara is a lunar holiday, honoring a lunar Goddess at the Verna Full Moon." (www.lifetips.com)

"Spring is in the air! Flowers and bunnies decorate the home. Father helps the children paint beautiful designs on eggs dyed in various colors. These eggs, which will later be hidden and searched for, are placed into lovely, seasonal baskets. The wonderful aroma of the hot cross buns mother is baking in the oven waft through the house....Easter, right? No! This is a description of an ancient Babylonian family - 2,000 years before Christ - honoring the resurrection of their god, Tammuz, who was brought back from the underworld by his mother/wife, Istar (after whom the festival was named.) (www.icg.org)

"...the origin of the name of the holiday was from a goddess. She has gone by a myriad of different names, Ostern, Eostre, Ishtar, Astarte, Eastre, and Ashtaroth, but they are all one and the same: the goddess of fertility, the "Queen of Heaven", Semiramis (the wife of Nimrod in the Bible).The ancient Babylonians looked at it as a sacred symbol of the goddess Astarte (another name for Easter and Semiramis), they believe that she came down the earth in a giant egg that fell upon the Euphrates river. The egg is her symbol. She is said to have come out of this egg on the first Sunday after the spring equinox at sunrise.So, how did [the] this become a "Christian" holiday? The original believers celebrated Passover, which was celebrated around the same time as the pagan festival of Easter...In order to better unify his empire, emperor Constantine instituted a few declarations....He then began a process of compiling various celebrations that took place at the same time into single festivals. Easter is one such example. He kept the name and traditions of the pagan side of it, but also said that it was the same day that the Christ was raised from the dead. He melted the two into one. The day that we currently celebrate Easter is even the same day that Astarte was said to have come out of an egg." (www.branchesofthevine.wordpress.com)

"Celebrating the resurrection of a deceased deity in a springtime festival also long predates Christianity. Chief among such celebrations were those in honor of Tammuz, the Babylonian "god of pasture and flocks...and of vegetation. He was husband and brother of Istar (Asherah), goddess of fertility." (www.ucg.org)

"For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover, the pagan rites of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian Church called "Resurrection Day."Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of Israel itself." (www.allaboutjesuschrist.org)

The resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is never to be compromised or replaced by pagan symbols and worship. It is my prayer that all who have a personal relationship with Jesus and honor His resurrection, leave the pagan worship alone. The Life that is celebrated is the Lords. Bunnies, eggs and vegetation sprouts are to be kept into their proper perspective and admired as such.

The title above is linked to another witness to the cult practices of Mormonism. There is an audio and some tracts that you can get through this ministry about the Mormon cult. Please take a moment to listen and read.

A church command that a U.S. President, (a Mormon President) Must Obey!.....

It is of extreme importance to the LDS church and their leaders to put a Mormon into the presidential seat.The Mormons believe that it is their "birthright", their destiny to usher in the purification of the earth for Christ's return". The Mormon president will be bound to the Mormon Prophet; "The prophet is above all humanity, above all scripture, above all other prophets, above scientific knowledge and Must Be Obeyed." (EzraT Benson, 1985 to 1994)

"I must teach the Elders, and they should teach you. God made Aaron to be the mouthpiece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like it, you must lump it." (Teachings of The Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, Deseret Book Company, 1976, pg. 363)

**All Mormons must obey the Teachings of Joe Smith, and even if a Mormon is elected President of the United States, he or she must follow the dictates of the head of this organization; their prophet, Thomas S. Monson...

"Somewhere along the way, probably during the six months he languished in a Missouri jail awaiting trial, Smith seems to have decided that a political kingdom of God (under his rule) would precede the apocalyptic kingdom of God (under Christ's rule).... "White Horse" Prophecy, Smith pronounced almost certain destruction upon America due to the government's continued unwillingness to grant reparations for Saints' losses in Missouri. He prophesied: "[I]f Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government. When Congress ignored him once more, he wrote an angry letter to Senator and former vice-president John C. Calhoun. It was brimming with threats of divine retribution: "[I]f the Latter Day Saints are not restored to all their rights, and paid for all their losses, according to the known rules of justice and judgment, reciprocation and common honesty among men, that God will come out of his hiding place and vex this nation with a sore vexation-yea, the consuming wrath of an offended God shall smoke through the nation." But again, Joseph's words had little effect. And so, after careful deliberation, Joseph Smith decided his only recourse was to actually become U.S. president. Moreover, the highest political office in the land certainly would further the establishment of Zion. He chose as his vice-presidential running mate none other than Sidney Rigdon, then ordered the elders of the church to campaign for him. Brigham Young stated: "It is now time to have a President of the United States. Elders will be sent to preach the Gospel and electioneer. In possible preparation for the day when he would be president, Smith actually petitioned Congress in med 1843 for the right to raise a 100,00-man army! Although the petition was denied, Smith continued pursuing his dream of establishing an earthly kingdom by setting up a shadow-government on March 11, 1844. He called his body of behind-the-scenes rulers his Council of Fifty, which according to one member was created as "the Municipal department of the Kingdom of God set up on the Earth, and from which all Law emanated, for the rule, government & control of all Nations, Kingdoms & towns, and People under the whole Heavens." (One Nation Under Gods, Richard Abanes, Four Walls Eight Windows, pgs. 186-187)

About Me

I spent a lot of time deciding if I should write this blog or not. I'm not a great writer and I'm not going to pretend to be. I need to share what I have learned and I might not make some people happy with what I am saying.
This blog is a way for me to release the thoughts and feelings that come with knowing I grew up in the wrong religion.
A healing process if you will.

How To Read This Blog

Please start with the month of February 2007 and read backwards. This is the most effective way to understand, in order, why I say what I do.

Handmaidens Creed

1.I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as one God without beginning or end.2.I believe the Bible to be the Holy Inspired word of God with full truth and righteousness. No other writing is.3.I believe that the work of the Lord comes first. Before any temporal thing or person.4.I believe that grace is a gift and Christ gives that gift freely to all who believe.5.I believe that the beauty of a woman is contained inside of her and not by what she looks like on the outside.6.I believe that marriage is sacred and represents the Godhead on earth; two are one just as three are one.7.I believe that love is more powerful than any other power. Remember, God is love.8.I believe that tithing is not a part of God's new covenant, free will offerings are. And that doesn't mean just money.9.I believe that the Aaronic, Levitical, and Melchizedek priesthoods are abolished and Christs Holy Priesthood whom Christ is the "Great High Priest" is eternal.10.I believe that every believer is a priest in the "Priesthood of Believers".11.I believe that when two are one, nobody is to separate the one.12.I believe that Christ is the only way to heaven.13.I believe that our bodies are temples, not man made buildings.14.I believe that liars make fools out of others and the liar hates the fool.15.I believe that all believers are in authority to preach the gospel.16.I believe that the word 'organization' to describe Christs body is evil and has no place with God.17.I believe the Americas are not the land of Zion and Christ will return to His origonal land-Israel in the Middle East.18.I believe that God has set out correct ways of worshiping Him, not man.19.I believe in holding to the truths of the Bible and not mans understanding of it.20.I believe that the world is full of evil and Satan can easily gain control over the minds of those who do not profess Christ of the Bible to be their only Messiah.21.I believe that Saints are those who know the real Savior, Jesus Christ, of whom the Bible speaks of; not the jesus of a cult.